Ecotourism

Ecotourism, where peoples connect with nature

Ecotourism is a form of nature-oriented tourism intended to contribute to the conservation of the natural environment, generally defined as being minimally impactful, and including providing both contributions to conservation and environmental education.^[1] The definition sometimes also includes being financially beneficial to the host community^[2] or making conservation financially possible.^[3] There are a range of different definitions, and the correct definition of the term was an active subject of debate as of 2009.^{[1][needs update]} The term is also used more widely by many organizations offering nature tourism, which do not focus on being beneficial to the environment.^[1]

Since the 1980s, ecotourism has been considered an important endeavor by environmentalists for conservation reasons.^[4]: 33 Organizations focusing on ecotourism often make direct or indirect contributions to conservation or employ practices or technology that reduce impacts on the environment.^[1] However (according to Buckley), very few organizations make a net-positive impact on the environment overall.^[1] Ecotourism has also been criticized for often using the same infrastructure and practices of regular tourism under a different name.^[5] Like most long-distance travel, ecotourism often depends on air transportation, which contributes to climate change.^[5][6]

Generally, ecotourism deals with interaction with living parts of natural environments, in contrast to geotourism, which is associated with geology.^[7] In contrast to nature tourism and sustainable tourism in general, ecotourism also usually intended to foster a greater appreciation in tourists of natural habitats and threats they experience, as well as local culture.^[6] Responsible ecotourism programs include those that minimize the negative aspects of conventional tourism on the environment and enhance the cultural integrity of local people. Therefore, in addition to evaluating environmental and cultural factors, an integral part of ecotourism is the promotion of recycling, energy efficiency, water conservation, and the creation of economic opportunities for local communities.^[8]

Risks and benefits:

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Ecotourism is a sub-component of the field of sustainable tourism. Ecotourism must serve to maximize ecological benefits while contributing to the economic, social, and cultural wellbeing of communities living close to ecotourism venues.

Even while ecotourism is often presented as a responsible form of tourism, it nonetheless carries several risks. Potential ecological, economic, and sociocultural benefits associated with ecotourism are described below.

Ecological risk

Ecotourism activities, or merely the presence of travelers in a particular region or location, may negatively impact the ecological integrity of protected areas.

Risks to local communities

Local communities may be negatively impacted by ecotourism. For example, as is the case with other forms of tourism, ecotourism may result in friction between tourists and local community members, and may potentially increase the cost of rent, rates, and property values, thereby marginalizing local community members.

Health risks

Ecotourism carries known health risks for tourists and local community members, along with wildlife and ecosystems. Travelers may bring pathogens to ecologically sensitive areas, putting wildlife as well as local communities at risk. Ecotourism activities may also place travelers at risk of health problems or injuries.

Potential ecological benefits

Ecotourism may also have positive ecological consequences, and some of them are listed as follows:

Direct benefits

• Incentive to protect natural environments
• Incentive to rehabilitate modified environments and lands
• Provides funds to manage and expand protected areas
• Ecotourists assist with habitat maintenance and enhancement through their actions
• Ecotourists serving as watchdogs or guardians who personally intervene in situations where the environment is perceived to be threatened
• The locals may also learn new skills from the ecotourists

Indirect benefits

• Exposure to ecotourism fosters a broader sense of environmentalism
• Communities experience changes in environmental attitude and behavior
• Areas protected for ecotourism provide environmental benefits
• It sharpens the future of well-being of the locals

Potential economic benefits

For some decision-makers, economic factors are more compelling than ecological factors in deciding how natural resources should be used. Potential ecotourism economic benefits are presented below:

Direct benefits

• Generates revenue (related to visitor expenditures) and creates employment that is directly related to the sector
• Provides economic opportunities for peripheral regions

Indirect benefits

• High multiplier effect and indirect revenue employment
• Supports cultural and heritage tourism, sectors that are highly compatible with ecotourism.

Potential socio-cultural benefits

A holistic approach to ecotourism must promote socio-cultural as well as economic and ecological practices. The direct and indirect socio-cultural benefits are outlined as follows:

Direct and indirect benefits

• Foster community stability and well-being through economic benefits and local participation
• Aesthetic and spiritual benefits and enjoyment for locals and tourists
• Accessible to a broad spectrum of the population

When assessing the potential positive impacts of ecotourism, it is necessary to mention that ecotourism can have unintended negative effects as well. Negative impacts can be mitigated through regulations and codes of conduct that effectively and persuasively impart messages about appropriate visitor behavior.^[10]

Terminology and history:

Ecotourism is a late 20th-century neologism compounded eco- and tourism. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, ecotour was first recorded in 1973 and ecotourism, “probably after ecotour“, in 1982.^[11]

• ecotour, n. … A tour of or visit to an area of ecological interest, usually with an educational element; (in later use also) a similar tour or visit designed to have as little detrimental effect on the ecology as possible or undertaken with the specific aim of helping conservation efforts.
• ecotourism, n. … Tourism to areas of ecological interest (typically exotic and often threatened natural environments), esp. to support conservation efforts and observe wildlife; spec. access to an endangered environment controlled to have the least possible adverse effect.

Some sources suggest the terms were used nearly a decade earlier. Claus-Dieter (Nick) Hetzer, an academic and adventurer from Forum International in Berkeley, CA, coined ecotourism in 1965, according to the Contra Costa Times,^[12] and ran the first ecotours in the Yucatán during the early 1970s.^[13]

The definition of ecotourism adopted by Ecotourism Australia is: “Ecotourism is ecologically sustainable tourism with a primary focus on experiencing natural areas that foster environmental and cultural understanding, appreciation and conservation.”^[14]

The Global Ecotourism Network (GEN) defines ecotourism as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and creates knowledge and understanding through interpretation and education of all involved (visitors, staff, and the visited)”.

Ecotourism is often misinterpreted as any form of tourism that involves nature (see jungle tourism). Self-proclaimed practitioners and hosts of ecotourism experiences assume it is achieved by simply creating destinations in natural areas.

Some scholars argue that, while ecotourism is typically defined as a nature-oriented form of tourism, the core of which should include drawing tourists’ attention to the beauty of nature and the fragility of the ecosystem, there is still debate about whether this viewpoint should become a universal standard.^[15] Critics point out that, despite the continuous growth of ecotourism, certain tourism organizations frequently utilize phrases like “green” or “sustainable” in their marketing as a form of greenwashing to attract environmentally conscious tourists. However, their real operating action may not properly satisfy their environmental protection responsibilities, perhaps leading to public confusion about the notion of ecotourism.^[16]

Although academics disagree about who can be classified as an ecotourist and there is little statistical data, some estimate that more than five million ecotourists—the majority of the ecotourist population—come from the United States, with many others from Western Europe, Canada, and Australia.^[17]

Currently, there are various moves to create national and international ecotourism certification programs. National ecotourism certification programs have been put in place in countries such as Costa Rica,^[18] Australia, Kenya, Estonia, and Sweden.^[19]